Originally tested among a small sample size of independent artists, Spotify For Artists will now assume full functionality on September 20. New Spotify For Artists accounts will enable select independent artists who maintain their own copyrights and are not required to meet label or distribution agreements to directly upload their releases to the digital streaming platform. The feature allows the artists to immediately make new music available via the platform, or to alternatively schedule songs to go live at a predetermined time, but the central and, for Spotify, unprecedented liberty that the accounts extend to indie artists is the freedom to bypass music distributors, placing the musicians in control.

Spotify plans to extend a limited number of invitations to the Spotify For Artists accounts to a “few hundred U.S.-based independent artists.” Those interested in acquiring one of the accounts can sign up for a mailing list that will announce ensuing invites to come in the time that follows Spotify’s official launch of the new function. “We’ve focused on making the tool easy, flexible, and transparent,” Spotify For Artists’ Kene Anoliefo said. “There will be no limit or constraint on how often [artists] can upload. We think that can open up a really interesting creative space for artists to begin sharing their music to their fans on Spotify.” Artists who independently upload to Spotify will receive royalty payments through Stripe, and can expect to receive 50 percent of Spotify’s net revenue, as well as 100 percent of royalties on their own music.

Spotify For Artists effectively alters the process by which independent artists in charge of their own copyrights disseminate music and earn compensation. Spotify For Artists account represent a seamless all-in-one method by which to distribute music, track streams, in-app followers, royalties, and incoming payments from Spotify.

H/T: Billboard 

Tags: distribution, independent artists, label, spotify, spotify for artists, streaming

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